This Tiny Affordable Truck Promised Buyers What the Pickup Market Needs

While Slate’s EV has yet to hit the market, the buzz that it created following its debut has been too loud to ignore.

Close-up of a black off-road tire with a matte black rim on a dark gray vehicle in a dimly lit garage.Slate

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Although the Slate EV has yet to go on sale, the budget-friendly battery-powered truck has already proven to have an enormous impact. After all, even in the absence of standard paint, speakers and power windows, the vehicle managed to accrue more than 100,000 reservations in just two weeks.  

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Of course, as a concept, Slate’s offering is truly novel in its minimalism and unlike anything on the market in its modularity. However, it’s not just a case of cutting corners to facilitate an affordable price point — the truck is designed to give consumers more control over what they drive.

four slate trucks customized in various colors
Slate touts customization as one of the main draws of its quirky little EV.
Slate Auto

As such, in keeping with the company’s name, it’s intended to be a true blank slate, allowing for customization of everything from the color of the wrap to the very body style of the vehicle itself. With accessories and upgrades available upon purchase or separately down the line, it provides a flexible buying experience unrivaled by even the cheapest of subcompacts.

the inside of a slate EV pickup showing the speaker console
Not even speakers are standard — Slate specs an empty cavity that can be filled with off-the-shelf options or some of your own.
Slate Auto

From its retro design and compact footprint to its simple interior and excessive customization options, the Slate EV bucks the status quo in more ways than one. Nevertheless, its immense virality proves that it’s exactly the kind of vehicle that carbuyers have been craving.

a slate EV pickup truck charging in a garage
Slate’s pickup packs tons of promise, though this isn’t the first time that an ambitious EV startup has attempted to break into the industry.
Slate Auto

Whether Slate will be able to deliver at its proposed price point given the ending of Federal tax incentives remains to be seen, but there’s no denying that it’s exciting to see a pickup of these proportions at a time when trucks continue to trend larger.

Matte gray electric pickup truck with black roof and wheels parked inside a dimly lit industrial warehouse.Slate

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Slate The Blank Slate

Specs

Engine 150 kW rear-mounted electric motor
Transmission N/A
Output 201 hp & 195 lb-ft
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